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Catherine Moy and Melanie Morgan continue to keep vigil at the Berkeley Marine recruitment center. They sent me these pictures taken earlier today of the pro-troops counterprotesters who showed up in force to fight the city’s anti-military bigotry. Members of Eagles Up, Patriot Guard riders, and Move America Forward attended.

Awesome:

Much, much more from Protest Shooter. Lots of gorgeous photos there. Here’s one:

According to the SFChron, some 400 traveled to Berkeley to combat the Code Pinko virus.

Unlike the Pinkos, the Eagles Up members and bikers had to obtain a permit for their event:

Berkeley hosted a decidedly different kind of protest today when about 400 flag-waving, leather-clad, pro-troops bikers roared into town to show their support for an often besieged Marine recruiting center in the city.

“I’m here because I support my Marines,” said Steve Bosshard, a retired San Francisco police officer who came from Santa Rosa. “I don’t like what Berkeley’s done. They don’t realize the effect it has on the troops.”

The center was criticized by the Berkeley city council and is often the target of protests.

Today’s demonstrators, most of whom are military veterans, said they were protesting the Berkeley city council decision in February to waive the amplified-sound permit fees and provide reserved parking in front of the Marines’ office for Code Pink, an anti-war group that stages protests at the recruiting center.

The Marine supporters gathered at the recruiting station and sang the Marine Corps hymn and national anthem, revved their motorcycles and waved flags. A small contingent from Code Pink stood on the fringes, having mostly peaceful conversations with their pro-Marine counterparts.

The pro-Marine demonstrators said they plan to boycott Berkeley businesses until the council is recalled, apologizes or grants free permits to a pro-troop group.

The group that organized today’s protest, Eagles Up, had to pay for their permit.